Defending, Celebrating & Restoring America's Waterways

On February 4th, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee held a joint hearing on the EPA’s clean water rule. Knowing that this hearing is part of an effort by polluters’ allies in Congress to kill the rulemaking, we mobilized to push back and defend it.

We made calls to our Senators’ and Representatives’ offices, asking them to speak out in support of the rule, and as a result got the following members of Congress to go on the record in defense of clean water.

Senators Boxer, Cardin, Merkley and Whitehouse all attended what promised to be a long and drawn out hearing to show their support. Those who have already spoken out in defense of clean water include Senators Booker, Boxer, Cardin, Leahy, Markey, Menendez, Merkley, Murphy, Warren, and Whitehouse.

Here’s what they said:

Senate

Booker:

On Facebook: “We need to ‪#‎ProtectCleanWaterbecause nearly 50% New Jersey residents get their drinking water from sources that rely on headwater or seasonal streams.” And added a link to “Connectivity US Waters Fact Sheet”.

On twitter: “More than 800,000 Americans called on @EPA to #ProtectCleanWater. I am standing with them” (also entered Clean Water Action’s local resolutions and NJ local electeds letter into the public record.

Boxer:

On twitter: “Defending our waterways from pollution used to be a bipartisan issue.”

Cardin:

On twitter: “Hear you loud & clear @MaryPIRG, I’ll always fight #4CleanWater and do all I can to #SaveTheBay.”

On twitter: “It won’t matter what job or degree you have if you…can’t drink the water”

Leahy:

On twitter: “It’s time to #ProtectCleanWater for all Americans, not to attack @EPA for doing what’s right for Americans by enforcing the Clean Water Act”

On facebook: On March 25, 2014, the EPA proposed a rule to restore ‪#‎CleanWaterAct protections to thousands of streams and wetlands across the country. Unfortunately, a wide range of polluting industries have vested interests in keeping streams and wetlands exempt from the Clean Water Act.

Cummings:

On twitter: I’m asking the panel about how this rule will #ProtectCleanWater and restore the Chesapeake right now.

On Facebook: The House Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Energy and Public Works Committee will have a joint hearing today on the EPA’s Waters of the US (WOTUS) rules. Everyone relies on clean water, and as the home of the Chesapeake Bay, Marylanders know just how true that is. #ProtectCleanWater

Edwards:

On Twitter: 70% of MDers get their drinking water from sources that rely on headwater or seasonal streams. #ProtectCleanWater